by Rabbi Benji Levy
This op-ed was first published in The Jerusalem Post on 22 September 2019
In less than one year since my aliyah, I have been through two municipal votes and two national votes. While it has been great to share the closest thing to a Sunday with my family in Israel, it has also encouraged a tremendous amount of debate and discussion around some key issues facing our incredible country.
Politicians will fight over the different ministerial portfolios, reflecting the abundance of issues at stake in these elections. But one of the key ministries that we don’t hear as much about is that of Diaspora Affairs. And yet, this is certainly a ministry worth fighting for!
When President Rivlin shared his vision for a new concept of partnership between the four tribes that comprise the diversity of Israeli society, his message resonated with many people. While election season has a knack for splintering us into too many camps, less than two years ago, our president reached out to Jews around the world and said, “In order to meet this challenge, we need the partnership with you, the fifth tribe, the Jews of the Diaspora.” The next Minister of Diaspora Affairs will play a key role in meeting this challenge.